Audio tape repeater cartridge



April 15, 1958 2,830,812 v J. E, NASH I'AL AUDIO TAPE REPEATER CARTRIDGE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 1. 1955 IN VEN TORS JAMES EMERY NASH BY WILLIAM L.. GRAMER April 15, 1958 'J' E' NASH ETA-, 2,830,812

AUDIO TAPE REPEATER CARTRIDGE FiledMarch 1, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fmg.. E

PROXIMITY OR UNIT TO BE POWER CONTROLLED CAPACITY CONTROL UNI'Il INVENTORS JAMES EMERY NASH BY WILLIAM L. GRAMER April l5, 1958 J. E. NASH ErAL 2,830,812

UDIO TAPE REPEATER CARTRIDGE Filed March l, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i INVENToRs r JAMES EMERY NASH BY WILLIAM L.GRAMER United States Patent() AUDIO TAPE REPEATER CARTRIDGE James Emery Nash, Winter Park, and William L. Gramer, Orlando, Fla.

Application March l, 1955, Serial No. 491,374

6 Claims. (Cl. 271-218) The invention herein disclosed relates to the playing of endless coils of sound tape, in which the tape after being taken from the center of a coil and passed through a sound head, is returned back to the outside of the same coil.

Objects of the invention are to provide a device which will hold the coil of tape in the nature of a unitary cartridge which can be placed over the powered takeup spindle of a tape recorder, playback, player or the like, and from which a loop may be taken from the center of the contained coil and be passed through the sound head of the machine.

Particularly it is a purpose of the invention to provide this device in a simple, practical form which can be combined and used with dilerent types of machinesby the simple act of just locating it over the player spindle and looping the inner convolution about the player head.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide this repeater cartridge in an inexpensive form, consisting of but few parts held assembled so that they cannot get out of order, and which generally will be efficient and desirable for the purposes intended.

Special objects of the invention are to provide a construction which may be operated with either right or lefthand rotating spindle machines, which will handle practically any length of tape Without binding, wear or injury to the tape and which will operate smoothly and quietly, free from static or other undesirable effects.

Other desirable objects and the novel features of construction, combination and relation of parts through which the purposes of the invention are attained, are set forth or will appear in the course of the following speciiication.

The drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrate certain commercial embodiments of the invention, but which structure may be further moditied and changed, all Within the true intent and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

Fig. l in the drawings is a top plan view of one of the cartridges with a playing loop of tape withdrawn from i the center and returned to the periphery of the contained coil of tape;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the unit in place on a player, the latter indicated broken away;

Fig. 3 is a broken vertical sectional view on substantially the plane of line 3 3 of Fig. 1, with the unit indicated in operative relation on the player;

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the unit in position over a iight-handed or clockwise rotating takeup spindle and the free loop of tape guided to the reproducer head by an idle spool on the supply spindle of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating how a player using this repeater unit may be controlled by a proximity switch according to presence or absence of listeners Withinhearing distance of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a plan view showingrhow a larger size unit carrying a greater Vamount of tape may be mounted off i to the side of a player and be driven from the powered takeup spindle;

Fig. 7 is a broken part sectional view on substantially the plane of line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Basically the invention consists of but two main parts, a rotary turntable 10 carrying the coil of tape and a stationary cap or cover 11 forming a guide and enclosure for the tape.

The turntable is apertured at the center at 12 to t down over the powered takeup spindle 13 of the player and to take the drive key 14 when seated on the supporting flange 15 of the spindle, all as indicated in Fig. 3.

The cover is shown as having a dependent circular rim or ange 16 equipped with a laterally extended base strip 17 of rubber or other such frictional material designed to support the cover in stationary relation on the top of the sound recorder, playback or other suchplayer instrument 18.

Fig. 3 shows how the inwardly extended portion 19 of the supporting base projects within the periphery of the turntable so as to retain this member confined within the cover when the unit is lifted olr' the player instrument.

The coil of tape 20 is loosely centered on the turntable in the illustration by opposed, approximately semicircular anges 21, 22 dependent from the top of the cover and of a radius to readily enter the open center of the coil, these flanges being separated at their proximate ends by gaps 23, 24, and with the ends of what'may be considered the back ilange 22 inclined inwardly at 25, 26 to serve as guide extensions for the inner convolution 27 of tape leaving the coil.

The top of the cover is shown as having a segmental opening 28 within the boundary of the outer or front guide ilange 21 and of suilicient arcuate extent to approximately reach the gaps 23, 24 and the inclined guide extensions 25, 26.

This construction provides for withdrawal of the inner convolution either at the top or at the bottom in Fig. l, for counterclockwise or clockwise rotation of the spindle.

Similarly, the cover has gateways or openings 29, 30 in opposite sides of the same for return of the outer convolution 31 of tape, for either clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the tape.

Lubricated or friction-free tape may be used to insure free sliding movement of the tape out of the inside and back over the outside of the same coil, and to further insure free movement of the tape the guiding portions of anges 21, 22 and any other such parts may be faced with felt, roughened or otherwise treated as indicated at 32.

Fig. 4 shows the unitmounted in operative relation on a player with the free run of tape 27 guided about an idle spool 33 on the supply spindle 34 and passing through the sound head 35 back into the outer convolution of the coil.

The repeater cartridge disclosed is adapted for continuous or intermittent operation.

For the latter it is contemplated that a proximity switch of the capacity type may be employed to start and stop the player according to presence or absence of listeners in the hearing zone.

Fig. 5 illustrates an arrangement for the purpose, in which the unit carrying the repeater cartridge as indicated at 18, is controlled by a proximity switch 36 connected with antenna 37.

The cover of the cartridge may be made of plastic or other such suitable material and it is shown as having an opening 38 in the top of slightly larger size than the spindle for facilitating engagement and centering of the unit on the player instrument. As shown in Figs. l andv4,

3 the top portion of the cover rnay be `slotted inwardly from the rim to the exit opening 28, yas indicated at 39, to enable easy change of record tapes.

For extra long length records the turntable may be supported oit to one side and be driven from the takeup spindle through special drive gearing, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

In this form of the invention the turntable carrying the large coil of tape is rotatably supported on a spindle carried by a plate 41 lslidingly mounted on a bracket 42 projecting from the side of the instrument cabinet 18 and the turntable has a rim or flange 44 engaged by an intermediate friction roller 4S in contact with a drive roller 46 which is keyed over the takeup reel spindle 13 in the same manner as the turntable disclosed in the first illustration.

Driving engagement between the frictional elements indicated is shown as maintained by as pring d3, Fig. 7, connected to slidingly shift the plate 41 carrying spindle 4h toward the driving friction gear, a slot 47 in the supporting bracket permitting this movement of the spindle.

The .cover 48 is shown as loosely 'held on lthe supporting bracket 42 by pins 49 and the intermediate idler roll is shown as loosely supported on the cover by a pivot stud Si) slidable in slot 51.

The invention makes it possible to handle practically any length of record tape. Y

The tape is made ready by simply splicing the ends together and locating the coil with the open center engaged over the arcuate guide segments in the cover with the inner convolution of the loop brought out at the proper side for clockwise or counter-clockwise spindle rotation. The slot in the cover enables ythis to be readily accomplished and records to be readily interchanged.

The inwardly extended flange holds the turntable within the cover with the yroll of tape confined between the WO.

The two parts of the cartridge are readily separable either by springing the cover over the turntable or by slipping off the supporting strip which holds the parts in assembled relation.

The arcuate guides in the -cover center the coil and maintain approximate concentricity of the oversliding convolutions, preventing these from binding or sticking.

The operation is quiet and smooth and build-up of static in the oversliding coils of tape is prevented by grounding the turntable on the spindle of the player machine. If `this turntable is made of plastic or other insulating material, this may be accomplished by coating the underside of the turntable with aluminum paint or the like.

Because of the smooth feeding action and absence of traction, pulling or dragging on the tape, any wear of the tape is practically inappreciable.

The operation is wholly automatic with starting and stopping of the player and this makes it possible to use a proximitycontrol switch, which without any attention will start and stop the player and repeater cartridge from any more or less remote point, in accordance with whether possible listeners are actually present.

The flexible base strip attached to the lower edge of the cover may assist in holding the sections separated by the slot in proper relation, and the supporting strip in this relation also is an aid in preventing accidental separation of the parts. The removable base strip of rubber or other such resilient frictional material may be cross-grooved or otherwise roughened to grip the surface of the instrument on which the repeater is mounted.

As an alternative construction the turntable may be held in the cover by extending the hub of the turntable up through an expansion ring in the cover so that the hub is loosely connected to the cover and thus the turntable is held in approximate running position when oft the machine. This construction makes it more certain 4 that the tape will not become tangled when olf the machine.

Other modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. Thus in the Fig. 7 illustrated form of the invention the ange 44 on the turntable may be omitted and the table driven by a V-grooved roller v45 in engagement with beveled uppe-r and lower edges on the rim ot the table.

While particularly designed for sound reproduction, it will be appreciated that the continuously running record tape may be used for starting and stopping and otherwise controlling various kinds of machinery, as for automation control.

What is claimed is:

l. Repeater cartridge for sound tape or the like, comprising a turntable for supporting a roll of tape and a hollow cover having a top and a dependent rim enclosing the turntable, said turntable being apertured for keying engagement over the powered takeup spindle of a player instrument so as to be supported and driven thereby and said cover having an 'oversize centering opening loosely engageable over the top of the spindle to locate the cover with the rim in supported stationary relation on top ofthe player instrument, the rim of the cover having a laterally extended foot 'portion engageable with the top of the instrument for supporting the cover stationary and free of the rotating turntable and projecting inwardly beyond the edge of the turntable to loosely confine the turntable within the cover when removed from the player, the top of the cover having a segmental opening near the center for outward passage of the inner convolution of a roll of tape on the turntable and the rim of the cover having gateways in opposite sides of the same for return of the outermost convolution of the roll and opposed, stationary substantially semicircular tape guiding flanges dependent from the top of the cover, one of said guides at the outer edge of said segmental opening and the proximate ends of said guides being separated by gaps providing egress for the inner convolution of a roll of tape centered about said guides.

2. The invention according to claim l, in which the other of the opposed tape guides has end extensions inclined inwardly toward the center of the cover for directin, tape passing through said gaps.

3. The invention according to claim l, in which the laterally extended foot portion is a strip of frictional holding material grooved for removable engagement over the rimof the cover.

4. Repeater cartridge for sound tape or the like, comprising a turntable for supporting a roll of tape and a hollow cover having a top and a dependent rim enclosing the turntable, said turntable being apertured for keying engagement over the powered takeup spindle of a player so as to be supported and driven thereby and said cover having an opening in the top of the same for outward passage of the inner convolution of a roll of tape on the turntable and a gateway in the rim for return of the outermost convolution of the roll, arcuate tape guides dependent from the top of the cover at opposite sides of said opening and at opposite sides of the center of the cover and said arcutate guides having friction-free tape guiding surfaces on the outer peripheral portions of the same engageable by the inner circumference of a roll of tape supported on the turntable.

5. Repeater cartridge for sound tape and the like comprising a turntable for loosely supporting an open center endless coil of tape and a hollow cover for enclosing the turntable and roll of tape supported thereon, said turntable being apertured for removable driven engagement over the powered takeup spindle of a player so as to be supported and driven thereby and said cover having a dependent rim to rest on top of the player and thereby support the cover in stationary relation on the player clear of the turntable rotating with the spindle, said cover having an exit opening vin the top of the same for outward passage of the inner convolution of a roll of tape on the turntable and a gateway in the rim for return of the tape to the outermost convolution of the roll and companion opposed arcuate tape guiding flanges dependent from the top of the cover at opposite sides of said exit opening and constituting segments of a circle having the axis of the turntable as its center and forming stationary circular guides for the open center of the coil on the rotating turntable and separated by a gap in line with the opening in the top for guided exit therethrough of the inner convolution of the roll on the turntable.

6. The invention according to claim 5 With means loosely holding the turntable rotatably confined within the hollow cover and for securing the tape supporting turntable and cover together as a unit when removed from the player.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 887,431 San-dell May 12, 1908 1,295,653 Wells Feb. 25, 1919 2,206,134 Streyckmans July 2, 1940 2,699,332 MacKenzie Jan. 1l, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,030,235 France Mar. 11, 1953 

